Lecture to criminology students at Coventry University - shows findings from previous research and emerging findings from current PhD

1. Prison Education, Higher Education
and
Desistance
Coventry University
14th November 2013
Anne Pike, The Open University
anne.pike@open.ac.uk

2. Outline of Lecture
•
•
•
•
Introductions
Prison Education
HE Distance Learning
Previous research – IT issues
-----------• My current research – postrelease issues
• Discussion/exercise

3. Me
•
•
•
•
•
Ex Prison Teacher
Ex Ofsted inspector
Open University lecturer
Researcher/ Consultant
Passionate about the benefits of
appropriate education for prisoners
You?

4. Adult Prison Education
Distance
Learning
HE
Independent Providers
(OU, NEC, Stonebridge etc.)
OU Access
L2+ courses
Occasional day release to
College
Progression
Limited taught L3 provision
Basic
Classroom
Education
L2 Core Curriculum
Skills Funding
Agency’s
Contracted
Providers
L1 Literacy and Numeracy
NOT INCLUDING TRAINING WORKSHOPS
OLASS4

5. Distance Learning in Prison
Outside
World Prison
Media
Prison staff
Education
Dept
Public
Student
OU tutor
Other students
OU
Virtual Campus/
Intranet
VLE
Internet
Other inmates
Coordinator in
prison
Original source: Higher Education in Prison: Just another chapter in the bigger picture?
Peter Mortimer, Cned-Éifad, France

6. Previous research findings
•
•
•
•
•
Physical environment detrimental to learning
Vital support from dedicated staff (important other)
Conflicting institutional visions of rehabilitation
‘Working’ v ‘Learning’ prison
Student identity reduces isolation (and more)
Adams & Pike (2008) Evaluating empowerment and control. BERA
Conference Online at http://oro.open.ac.uk/24174
Pike and Adams (2012) Digital exclusion or learning exclusion? Research in
Learning Technology, 20(4), Online at http://oro.open.ac.uk/35102/

7. Physical Environment
Access and use of technology: inversely related
to physical security restrictions
Cat A has intranet & laptops, Cat C refused graphics
calculator, Cat D not even a DVD
Personal space is at a premium:
“this bed space is mine and what takes place in here is
me and anything else is outside of that” (Duncan)
Technology-supported learning?
“you rip off a little white piece of paper and
stick it over the mistake and write on it like it’s
a little bit of Tipp-ex” (Freddie)

8. Support from
dedicated staff
• “P assessed me. He kept
following me, insisting on more
and more exams. I told him I
couldn’t do it. He said I had the
potential. …P was like a father
to me - I still remember him.”

9. Support from
dedicated
staff
“… They were enthusiastic and fired my
imagination… the astronomy tutor was
brilliant – looked like a biker – pictures
of telescopes, stars – very interesting to
see ‘the real thing’ in pictures instead of
books. Made the subject come alive.”
[5, 4]

10. Conflicting Institutional Visions 1
Prison service:
“Purposeful activity keeps the guys amused”
Prison education:
“Can you read? Then you’re educated. As far as
anything further, there’s not a lot of support”
(student)
“it’s never very clear in here who’s responsible for
what. My concern is the learner… they are falling
completely through the cracks”
(education staff)

11. Conflicting Institutional Visions 2
Careers Advice Service regimented:
“right next, recycling, want to do that?”
Distance Learning providers expect internet access
“most courses are fully online now – we try our best
and we do provide alternatives but it’s getting harder”
Students just want something!
“just give us a room, give us a corner…. even old
computers with a word-processor would be OK”

12. ‘Learning’ Prison
v
‘Working’ Prison
Learning culture
Working culture
Dedicated session times
No time or space for learning
Peer mentoring encouraged
No peer contact
Supported internet/intranet
access
Very limited access to IT
Good communication across
stakeholders
Security issues reduce access
Dedicated distance learning
coordinator
No coordination of learning
Progression monitored
Students invisible
Applications well-organised
Funding difficult to find
Stakeholders work together
Conflicting institutional visions

13. Student Identity.
“It makes me feel a lot more like a human being. I’m
not a number in a box, I’m an individual, I’m allowed
to share and expand my mind”
“I’m moving away from where I was”
“I just can’t wait to get out and use the skills that I’ve
learnt and try and put this behind me and I shouldn’t
say this about jail and it sounds a cliché but jail is
where I’ve found myself”

14. Activity 1
• What are the key messages in these findings which
suggest that HE distance learning may be facilitating
desistance?
• Discuss with you neighbour – list 3 or 4 things

15. Current Research
Jack Mezirow Qu 1. In what ways is Prison-based Higher level
Distance Learning (PHDL) transformative?
• Does it lead to personal change?
• If so, how does that change relate to hopes
and aspirations for future prospects?
Qu 2. What role does PHDL play in facilitating
desistance?
•After release, how does PHDL relate to:- personal skills for managing life?
- social and economic integration?
Albert Bandura

16. Method
Longitudinal, ethnographic approach (thematic analysis):Pilot:
10 ex-prisoner student interviews
In-prison:
51 students due for release (12 DNE*) in 8 prisons
Post-release:
38 students for follow-up (8 DNE*)
26 were re-interviewed (up to 5 times in first year)
Macro perspective: National Surveys + …
Supplementary data: 50+ staff/relatives, policy documents …
* DNE=Did not engage with learning (for comparison)

17. In-prison Participants
51 Participants across 8 prisons
35%
30%
40 men*
25%
20%
32 learners (10 DNE)
1-10 Convictions
Sentences 2-20 years
15%
10%
5%
0%
* compared with Male Population
(NOMS statistics 2011)
11 women
9 learners (2 DNE)
All single conviction
Sentences 3-12 years
15-17
18-20
21-24
25-29
Males in prison
30-39
40-49
Male sample
50-59
60+

18. Qualifications before prison
(follow-up participants)
A-Level+
8%
A-Level
24%
Higher
5%
None
29%
Low GCSE
8%
GCSE+
16%
GCSE
10%

19. Elements of Transformative PHDL
Success, choice, enthusiasm,
time, focus, maturation, ability
Determination,
self-confidence,
self-esteem,
student identity
Motivation
Resilience
Family, tutors, drug
rehab, employers,
charities, library,
IT access,
peers
External
Support
Change, Positive Attitude, Aspiration and Hope

20. It changed the way I think …
Now I’ve grown up a
little bit and doing
distance learning,
I’ve learnt that
certain things have
to be done …
my attitude to work
and learning has
completely
changed. Steve (22)
It focused me.
This assignment,
this book, my
own
space, and I
actually
believe
I can achieve
whatever I
put my mind to
Nina (22)
I wasn’t forced to do
it. I had the choice –
that’s made me
successful and
changed the way I
think about it.
Rob (21)
I’m calm and focused.
I’ve never been this
focused in my life
before.
Chad (27)
I didn’t think I was capable especially essays and stuff and it was a
bit heavy but it was good… It opened doors and made me realise
I can study at this level. Brian (27)

21. Providing hope and aspiration …
Education is transformational
because it gives you hope which is
all that I ask for. Fred (44)
Initially I just challenged
myself to see if I could do
it. But then I realised … I’d
like to get a degree and
make my mum proud
Ahmed (37)
Starting the OU has
given me hope and a
fresh start with other
aspects of life
James (28)
I’m going to go to college to
train to be a horse farrier … my
family (Travellers) have 400
horses and no blacksmith
Peter (22)
I’ve been through the care system, alcohol and the prison
system. My head’s screwed on now and I want to help people.
I want to do something that will make a difference
Rob (21)

22. So …
Is Prison-based Higher level
Distance Learning transformative?
Yes, with the right mix of ingredients it can
encourage personal change, providing hope
and aspiration for a better future …
BUT what happens on release from prison?

23. Post-release
Anne Pike PhD findings – work in progress
Disillusionment
Stigma
Technology
Chaos
Frustration

24. Some don’t make it
Fred (44)
“Last time, I was released to Rehab in Sxxxxx. It was the
best 6 months of my life, finding myself again. Everything
was new to me. People wanted to be my friend for who I
was, not for what I had in my pocket. Then I went to live
on my own but I wasn’t ready and I went back onto
drugs.”

25. Brian (27)
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Left school at 15 – just before GCSEs
Been to prison 4 times before (drugs, burglary)
Latest sentence 2.5 year
Done 4 DL courses: L2 and L3 Business management,
OU Access, A level Property Development
Plans on release: “I still have my van and my tools” Get
back to self-employment. Live with mum
Long-term aim: To settle down and lead a normal life.
Feels confident – has learnt a lot about self-employment
and self and feels set up.
He will have a mentor to support (Pxxxxx scheme).

26. On release
+ 2 months. Van broke down and no money to mend it.
Argument with mother, now sleeping on sister’s couch.
Mentor has prevented recall by driving him to probation.
+ 6 months. Doing painting and decorating and odd jobs but
increasingly difficult to find work without a van. The mentor
has helped find a flat which he is now sharing with his new
partner. Support has now ceased.
+ 7 months. Rent on the flat is too high for earnings so must
stop work and claim benefits. On the waiting list for council
flat. “I know I want to work … so I’ll get there”
+ 8 months. Wants to start studying again with Open
University. No credit on phone. No text facility with the Open
University. Struggling to cope but still hopeful.
+ 9 months. Enrolled on science course, bought some
second-hand GCSE science books to read in preparation.
+12 months. Course going well. Content

27. In-prison stage of slide model
Anne Pike PhD findings
Reflection
Realisation
/ Aspiration
Barriers to study
Anne Pike PhD findings
Motivation
Support

28. The Slide Model
Anne Pike PhD findings
Structure
Through the gate support
Bridges across
at various levels

29. Why is it worth it?
“Unfortunately I can’t remember this woman’s
name, but she made it quite plain and she was
a godsend. She said “you won’t know it, but
there will come a point where you look back
and you won’t recognise the person that you
were, and it will be because you’ve
persevered and you’ve learnt through
education. I wish you well” and then she
signed the entry fee to the OU. And that was
my first one.” Daniel (BSc (hons.))
He’s now a respected member of society, a manager in a large company
with hundreds of people working for him

30. Thank-you, any questions?
anne.pike@open.ac.uk
@Annepike2 #prisonered
Mobile: +44 07711 398545